08 Apr 2023; MEMO: An Algerian court ordered the detention of the former Minister Delegate for Small Enterprises Nasim Diafat pending investigation. He is President Abdelmadjid Tebboune's first minister to be imprisoned on corruption charges.
Local media reported that the investigative judge at the Sidi Mohamed court in the capital ordered the imprisonment of Diafat from Thursday night to Friday, pending the completion of the investigation, after hearing his statements in a corruption case involving a government-owned iron and metal company.
On Friday, private newspaper Al Shorouk reported on its website that Diafat appeared before the court alongside his wife, brother and several other defendants in a corruption case related to the government-owned Imetal group of metallurgical industries.
Private newspaper El Khabar reported that the judge: "Ordered the imprisonment of Minister Diafat, while his family members, his wife and brothers were placed under judicial supervision and travel ban."
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Diafat served as minister delegate in charge of incubators in the first government of President Abdelmadjid Tebboune at the beginning of 2020. He was then appointed minister delegate for small enterprises in June 2021, and his role was terminated in September 2022.
Diafat is the first minister appointed during President Abdelmadjid Tebboune's tenure to be imprisoned on corruption charges.
Since 2019, the Algerian judiciary has been waging what has been called a "war on corruption". This led to the imprisonment of dozens of ministers and officials from the late President Abdelaziz Bouteflika era, who was ousted by a popular uprising in the same year.
